To Catch Up
by FaithinBones
Summary: She had changed in the three months she had been gone and he needed to adapt to those changes. She'd left him behind and he thinks he needs to catch up.
1. Chapter 1

This takes place at the end of "The Partners in the Divorce."

I don't own Bones.

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He was afraid.

He was sitting in their house, their baby asleep in her bed and her mother, well, she wasn't home yet. He was alone, sitting in their house, in the dark, drinking and he was afraid.

He wasn't sure how he had ended up this way; but, he had and it felt like his world was slowly unraveling. His love for Brennan was still very strong and he knew he didn't want to lose her and yet he was afraid that as hard as he fought it, that was exactly what was happening. He was afraid that Brennan was leaving him behind and she didn't really care. No . . . that's not right. He knew she cared about him. She said she loved him and he believed it and yet she had left him behind three months ago and he still hadn't caught up. She wasn't letting him catch up.

He'd told her that he understood why she'd run and he had understood. He did. What he couldn't understand was why she had left without him. She had told him it was to protect him; but, when he had heard her say those words to him he was thrown back in time to the Hoover when he'd asked her to take a chance with him, with them. She had told him no then to protect him. That had been what she had said. Those words had almost killed him the first time he'd heard them and now he was hearing them again. She had taken Christine and ran to protect him.

What if he didn't need or want that kind of protection? What if he had wanted to let the future take care of itself and let him, let them take the chance that being together was worth it?

He thought the past was done and over; but, now he could see that wasn't true. The past is always with you. You can never escape the things you've done, the things you've said. There is always someone willing to remind you of the foolish mistakes you've made in your life. Yes, foolish mistakes. Moving on had been a joke. How do you move on when your heart belongs to another? He had fought his attraction to Brennan for several years. He'd loved her; but, his uncertainty about Brennan's love had held him at arms length. Then she'd ask to have his child. At first he had been appalled that she had asked him to provide his stuff to make a baby. She had wanted his stuff; but, not him. How could that be fair? Why had God shown him the woman that he had come to consider his soul mate and not let him actually have her?

In the end, because he did love her, he was going to let her have his baby only to have fate stop him and give him an illness that changed everything. He'd had a brain tumor and when he woke after surgery, he had thought that Brennan was his after all. How cruel is life that it would give him the one he loved and then take her away again? He woke up from his deep sleep happy and deeply in love only to be told by the one he loved that they were friends and nothing more. It had taken all of his faith in God and in 'His Plan' to let that love slip from his hands.

They had told him that he wasn't in love and that he was just suffering from the lingering affects of his tumor removal. He should have fought their words. He shouldn't have let them influence him. Their words only created confusion in him and in the one he loved. He had listened until he could listen no more and he had, in desperation, tried to plead his case to Brennan on the steps of the Hoover. His desperation had made him clumsy and the words he chose were not the wisest he could have used. Later, replaying the words he had used to her in his mind over and over he had realized his biggest mistake. Never once did he mention that he loved her and he knew that once she had rejected him he could never utter those words to her. It had been too late. He had been crushed and with that pain fresh in his mind, he had told her he would move on.

Moved on. He tried. He really did try. He had thought that Brennan had thrown him away when she'd accepted the position in Maluku and he had thought that running away was the answer. He had thought that she didn't want to be his partner anymore or his friend and so he had put himself in harms way. He knew that was what he was doing and he couldn't stop himself.

Moved on. Yes, he tried to move on. While he was in harms way, he had found someone who had actually made him want to live, to not give up. To see that life went on even if it wasn't the life you dreamed of. Hannah had moved in to his life and he'd been grateful. He'd found someone who had said they loved him. Yes loved him. Him. Those words were like a life raft to a drowning man.

He'd tried to move on and in the end, he had found out that he wasn't going to be allowed to do that. The one who had claimed to love him, didn't really love him and he was alone again. The bitterness he had felt was almost more than he could bear. He was alone and that was his life. Alone and without love.

Without love until he opened his eyes and really looked. Brennan had changed. He wasn't sure when that had happened; but, she had changed. She was in love with him and he hadn't allowed himself to notice . God had been playing with him. He felt like he had been playing the part of Odysseus during his long voyage home. He had gone through many strange adventures and had to counter many powerful spells to get back to the one he loved. The siren call of Hannah being the most powerful spell of all. Like Odysseus, he had battled his demons to finally reach the one he loved and he didn't want to let her go.

He would fight for her. He would try to understand her and listen to her and try to catch up with her. She had changed in the three months she had been gone and he had to adapt to those changes.

They had been fighting for the last couple of days and now he found himself sitting in their house and drinking alone in the dark. He knew that wasn't the answer and when Brennan came home he would try again. He would try to catch up. What else could he do? He loved her.

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This popped in to my head a little while ago and I just had to post it. What do you think of it?


	2. Chapter 2

Well, as with most of my stories lately, this one shot has morphed into a multi-chapter story. I had a lot of requests to expand this one shot; so, I thought I would see where this story takes us.

This story will take place after "The Partners in the Divorce". I thought I would explore Booth's dilemma. Brennan and Christine had been away from Booth for three months and Brennan had new experiences that he doesn't share with her. In "The Partners in the Divorce" Brennan was relying more on her independence and less on their partnership. Booth was trying to maintain the partnership that they had before their three month separation. After a few days of arguing, Booth realized that things have changed and he needs to catch up with reality. He needs to catch up with Brennan.

I don't own Bones.

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The alarm clock went off and Booth rolling towards his night stand slammed his hand down on the alarm clock to silence it. A little alarmed at the loud crack, Booth opened his eyes and stared at his broken clock.

"Damn it, I've had that clock for a long time," Booth complained. Not hearing a response from Brennan, Booth turned over towards Brennan's side of the bed and found it empty. Shaking his head, Booth closed his eyes and reminded himself that patience was his key word today.

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Booth, after getting a quick shower and changed into his suit, picked up his clock and looked at it. Shrugging his shoulders, Booth laughed and carrying his clock in his hand, walked downstairs and then into the kitchen. Expecting to see Brennan cooking, Booth was surprised to see Brennan eating a bowl of cereal instead. Smiling, Booth placed his clock on to the island in front of Brennan and kissed her.

Booth pointing at his clock, "Hey, Bones. Looks like my clock finally bit the dust."

Pulling the clock towards her, Brennan examined the broken case and remarked, "If you wouldn't slam your hand on it every morning it might have remained intact longer."

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth looked at the stove and sighed, "Yeah, well, I hate the sound it makes."

Opening the case, Brennan looked inside to see if the clock was salvageable. Puzzled, Brennan pulled what looked like an extra wire she noticed and saw it flip towards her allowing for a better view. Feeling a chill run across her back, Brennan pinched the wire in her hand and looked at it more closely. Following the wire with her eyes, Brennan found herself looking at something unexpected.

Swallowing, Brennan placed the clock down very carefully and stood up. Slowly placing her hand on Booth's arm, Brennan explained, "Booth, I'm going upstairs to get Christine. I need you to go outside and call 911. The clock has what looks like a half block of C4 and a wire connected to it that is running to a cell phone."

Shaking his head, Booth exclaimed, "Get out of the house, I'll go get Christine."

Ignoring Booth, Brennan ran across the room, in to the living room and then up the stairs. Booth, cursing, walked out of the kitchen and over to the front door, opened it and held it open, watching the stair case.

Dialing the Hoover, Booth talked to Charlie, "This is Booth. I need you to send the bomb squad out to my house. There's a bomb in the kitchen and I need help."

Nodding his head, Charlie asked, "Is everyone out of the house yet?"

Shaking his head, Booth saw Brennan racing down the stairs with Christine in her arms, "They will be in about one minute. Get someone here now."

Ending his call, Booth stepped out of the house and to the side of the door to allow Brennan and Christine room to exit the house.

Brennan, racing past Booth, ran towards the driveway and then down the driveway, stopping when she got to the edge of their property. Turning back to look for Booth, she found him walking down the driveway towards her. The dark flush of his skin a warning that Booth was angry.

Arriving at the end of the driveway, Booth turned back and looked at the house. "Charlie is going to send the bomb squad."

Hearing the anger in Booth's voice, Brennan decided to remain silent. They'd been fighting for two days and she didn't want to make it three.

Booth, trying to keep from exploding, turned his back on his house and sat down on the lawn. Looking down the street, Booth counted under his breath. His right hand shaking, Booth stopped counting, raised his phone up to dial and called, Hacker.

"Yeah it's Booth. There's a bomb in my house. Brennan has Christine and we're all out in the front yard, waiting for the bomb squad."

Taking a deep breath, Hacker asked, "Do you think it's Pelant?"

Smiling grimly, Booth answered, "Probably.'

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After his call to Hacker, Booth called Cam, "Hey Cam. Bones is going to be a little late today."

Smiling Cam answered, "That's fine."

Frowning, Booth explained, "No, it isn't fine. There's a bomb in the house. We're waiting for the bomb squad to come and take care of it."

Feeling a little sick, Cam exclaimed, "A bomb? Is this Pelant? He's supposed to be in Egypt."

His anger rising, Booth responded, "Who the Hell knows where that bastard is? I don't know if this is Pelant or not. Bones and me have managed to piss off enough people in the last few years; so, who the Hell knows? Anyways, we're outside the house and we're waiting. I'll call you when it's taken care of."

Hearing the rage in Booth's voice, Cam tried to defuse his temper, "Booth no one has been hurt. You found the bomb and it looks like you have everything under control. Try to calm down before you have a stroke."

Expelling his breath, Booth replied, "Yeah, everything is peachy, Cam. It's just peachy."

Turning his head, Booth watched Brennan and his daughter standing at the end of the driveway. He was trying to understand why Brennan had ignored him and ran to get Christine instead of letting him do it; but, right now he wanted to shake her until her bones rattled. Sighing, Booth put his phone in his jacket pocket and placed his head in his hands. Catching up was going to be harder to do than he thought it would.

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So what do you think? Reviews would be appreciated. Thanks.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you for reading my story. The reviews have been great and I really appreciate them all.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Thirty minutes after Booth finished talking to Cam, Angela arrived at the Booth/Brennan home. Parking down the street, Angela threaded her way through the patrol cars, FBI trucks, two forensic vans and much to Angela's horror an ambulance. Frightened that an ambulance was actually on sight, Angela hurried towards the house. That she had to stop every few seconds and show her Jeffersonian identification was maddening to her.

Finally getting within sight of Brennan and Christine, Angela called out, "Bren, Sweetie are you alright? Is Christie alright? Is Booth alright?"

Waiting for Angela to actually arrive at her side, Brennan glanced towards her house and then at Angela, "Yes, we're fine. The bomb squad arrived here about twenty minutes after Booth called Charlie. They are going through the house right now to make sure that there aren't any more bombs. So far, they haven't found any more."

Looking around, Angela asked, "Where's Booth?"

Pointing with her chin, Brennan said, "He's around back, standing next to the back door. They don't want him in the house; but, you know Booth. He has to know what's going on."

Smiling, Angela remarked, "Yes, everyone is aware of Booth's propensity to be involved with everything going on around him. So, how did you find out there's a bomb in the house?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Brennan shifted Christine from her left hip to he right hip, "Booth slammed his clock with his hand like he normally does when the alarm went off and the casing cracked. He brought it down stairs and when I checked it to see if it was still serviceable, I found the bomb inside."

Shaking her head, Angela glanced at the house, "I'll bet Booth freaked out."

Smiling, Brennan replied, "No, I told him to go outside and call 911 and then I ran back upstairs to get Christine. Then I ran to the end of the driveway and Booth joined me. Booth was very calm although he was angry before the bomb squad arrived at our house."

Nodding her head, Angela said, "I'd be angry too, if I found a bomb in my house."

Clearing her throat, Brennan remarked, "I think Booth was angry that I was the one that went and got Christine instead of him. He is very insistent that he needs to be the one to protect me and our daughter. He forgets that I am quite capable of protecting Christine and myself.'

Shaking her head, Angela sighed, "Look Bren, let me take you to the Jeffersonian. You can work on whatever you need to and Christine can be in Day Care while Booth does his Boothy thing."

Nodding her head, Brennan held up her left hand and called out to Agent Burns, "Charlie, please tell Booth that Angela came by and is taking me and Christine to the Jeffersonian."

Nodding his head, Charlie called back to her, "Sure thing, Dr. Brennan."

Walking up the driveway, Charlie walked around to the back yard and saw Booth standing in the back doorway watching someone in the house.

Arriving beside Booth, Charlie touched Booth's right arm, "Hey, Dr. Brennan is taking Christine and is going to the Jeffersonian. Angela is taking her and the baby."

Turning to look at Charlie, Booth shrugged his shoulders, "Thanks Charlie for letting me know. That's one less headache I have to deal with right now."

Not understanding and not wanting to get involved in Booth and Brennan's little spats, Charlie smiled and replied, "Yeah, I'm going back out front. You do know that they don't like you standing here, right?"

Looking back into his house, Booth replied, "Tough shit. This is my house and they aren't going to keep me out of my house if I don't want to go."

Shrugging his shoulders, Charlie muttered, "Yeah, we know."

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Booth, growing bored, walked over to the edge of the patio and sat down on a chaise. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he called Brennan.

"Brennan."

"They're still going through the house. They've got two bomb dogs in there right now. If there are any more bombs they'll find them."

Relieved, Brennan remarked, "Good, if this is Pelant then we can't be sure how many bombs he planted. I'm just surprised that he hasn't set them off yet."

Disgusted, Booth exclaimed, "Hopefully his ass is still in Egypt. Maybe someone will do us a favor and figure out that he isn't who he says he is and just shoot him for making the Egyptian government look like it's being run like a clown school."

"Booth, I apologize if you felt that I'd usurped your role as protector this morning. I am faster than you are when it comes to climbing stairs and I felt that I could get Christine quicker than you could."

Sighing, Booth asked, "Are you saying I'm getting old?"

Surprised, Brennan assured Booth, "What? No, of course not. I just know that in the morning your joints are stiff and so are your feet. My body hasn't suffered the abuse that yours has and I just felt it would be easier and faster if I got her instead of you."

Closing his eyes, Booth murmured, "Ok, sure. I understand. . . Hey I gotta go. I'll talk to you later . . . Love you."

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Reviews would be appreciated. Thanks.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for reading my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

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The FBI techs and the bomb squad had been thorough and had not found any more bombs in the house. They did find a hidden camera in Christine's bedroom and one in the living room. That particular news had given Booth the creeps.

After the techs had left, Booth walked through the house and straightened up some of the mess the techs had made. The techs and the bomb squad had tried to be careful when searching the house; but, Booth knew it was impossible for a large group of people to walk through a house and everything remain in its proper place.

Once Booth was satisfied, Booth locked up the house and drove over to the Hoover. Arriving at his office, Booth logged onto his PC and checked his mail. Ignoring most of the mail, Booth replied to what he considered the most urgent ones and then turned to the post it notes lying on his desk.

Sighing, Booth saw that Sweets had called twice asking to see him.

Taking his phone out of his pocket, Booth called Brennan.

"Brennan."

"Hey, Bones. The techs didn't find any more bombs. They did find two hidden cameras though, one in Christine's bedroom and one in the living room. I guess he was trying to keep track of us."

Shaking her head, Brennan replied, "I hate to think about how easily he invaded our privacy."

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth admitted, "Yeah, me too. I think we're going to have to sweep our house once in awhile to make sure that doesn't happen again. We can't count on Pelant staying in Egypt. You and I both know he's going to find a way to get back home. He'll probably just invent a whole new identity to do it. I just wish I knew why he didn't set off the bomb. I don't understand why he would plant a bomb and not use it. The techs took the bomb with them and they said they'd send me a report as soon as they've looked it over."

"Have you eaten anything today, Booth? I know you didn't get a chance to eat breakfast this morning."

Smiling, Booth said, "No, I've been a little busy. Want to go to lunch with me?"

"Yes, I'll meet you at the Diner in about twenty minutes."

Standing up, Booth exclaimed, "Great. I'll see you soon."

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Arriving at the Diner, Booth found their usual table free; so, he sat down and waited for Brennan to arrive. Deciding that he really needed the caffeine, Booth ordered a cup of coffee while he was waiting. Brennan running a little late arrived ten minutes later than she had planned.

Smiling, Brennan sat down beside Booth and kissed him. "I'm sorry I'm late. Daisy had a question that she felt couldn't wait until after lunch."

Putting his cup down, Booth smiled, "That's ok. We can order now."

After ordering their lunch, Booth cleared his throat, "You know, I've been thinking about this morning. . . I think you made the right choice about getting Christine. You are faster than me in the morning and it was better that we got her out of the house as fast as possible."

Smiling, Brennan grabbed Booth's right hand and replied, "Thank you, Booth. I was afraid that you were angry about my preemption of your role as protector. I wasn't trying to do that. I just knew that I was the one that should run up the stairs and not you."

Booth placing his left hand over their clasped hands stared at Brennan, "Yeah well we're partners and we have a daughter that needs us to protect her. If I can't do it then you have to. That's just the way it is. We have to be realistic. You're younger than me and your body isn't the mess mine is. So I guess you'll need to take on the role of protector more now that your back."

Puzzled about Booth's sudden change in attitude Brennan searched Booth's face for a clue as to what he was thinking. "Booth, I wasn't trying to say you're old. You aren't. You're still a young man. I just meant that your body has received a lot of damage over the years and your body has some limitations on it that mine does not."

Letting her hands go, Booth picked up his cup of coffee and replied, "Yeah, I know. I get it."

Frowning, Brennan was tempted to comment when their food arrived.

"Hey, that was pretty fast service there Marge. Thanks."

Marge, placing Brennan's order in front of her, replied, "We aim to please, Agent Booth."

Picking up his BLT, Booth started to eat. Brennan, deciding that they could continue their conversation at home, lifted her fork and started to eat her salad as well.

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Brennan had been going over a report written by Hodgins when Angela walked into her office. Sitting on the chair in front of Brennan's desk, Angela smiled and asked, "So, how was lunch?"

Looking up from the report, Brennan frowned, "It was fine. Booth hadn't eaten since yesterday so he was very hungry."

Nodding her head, Angela replied, "That's nice. What I meant was did you get a chance to talk to him about your preempting his protection role or whatever you said to me this morning?"

Smiling, Brennan closed the report and answered, "Yes and Booth said he understood why I did it. He agreed that I had made the right decision."

Frowning, Angela asked, "Booth said you made the right decision? Are you sure that's what he said?"

Puzzled, Brennan stared at Angela, "Yes, I'm sure. Why? Do you think he was being less than honest. Sometimes he does tell false hoods to me to try to spare my feelings."

Placing her right hand next to her mouth, Angela pursed her lips, "Gee, I don't know honey. Maybe. It just doesn't sound like the Booth I'm used to that's all. Maybe he changed while you were gone. I know he missed you and Christine a lot. He worried about you two and maybe it made him feel like he had to change for you when you came back because of what you'd been through. You know he'd do anything for you."

Sitting back in he chair, Brennan crossed her arms, "Yes, he's told me that before. He once told me that he would die for me. I worry about that. I worry that he really would do something like that even if I didn't want him to. I frightens me that he values his life less than mine. His life is very valuable to me."

Shrugging her shoulders, Angela crossed her arms across her chest, "I think you two need to talk to each other. About your partnership, about your expectations, what it means to live together. I don't think you talk to each other about the important things."

Nodding her head, Brennan replied, "I agree. We do need to talk to each other. We both assume too much about the other. I also find it disturbing that Booth agreed with me about what I did this morning. I didn't expect that and I'm worried about the reasons he has for doing that."

Laughing, Angela shook her head, "You know Sweetie. Most people would be thrilled if their significant other said they were right about something."

Sighing, Brennan remarked, "I am not most people and neither is Booth."

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So what do you think? Reviews would be greatly appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks for reading and reviewing my story.

I don't own Bones.

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Booth had managed to finish several over due reports and had completed several others before anyone actually asked for them. He'd felt focused and almost single minded about what he was doing.

Walking into Booth's office, Sweets looked at his watch and said, "It's six thirty Booth. Don't you think you should go home?"

Startled, Booth looked up. Throwing his pen on top of his desk, Booth asked, "What do you want?"

Smiling, Sweets sat on the chair across from Booth's desk and asked, "So, I heard about the bomb scare this morning. I just wanted to see if you wanted to talk about it."

Folding his arms across his chest, Booth replied, "Talk about what? The Bomb? It was a bomb. Bones found it. The bomb squad didn't find anymore. End of story."

"So Dr. Brennan found the bomb and you left the house and the bomb squad searched your house and it's safe?"

"Yeah, pretty much. The bomb surprised me; but, I mean no one got hurt. It was just a little scare and now everything is fine."

"It didn't scare you that your baby daughter was in danger like that? I know I would have been shook up to think my baby had been in the house with a bomb."

Placing his hand across his mouth, Booth stared over Sweets shoulder, "I was afraid sure; but, Bones ran upstairs and got Christine and got her out of the house pretty fast."

Puzzled, Sweets crossed his legs and felt the pants crease across his knee, "Dr. Brennan ran upstairs and not you?"

Glancing at Sweets, Booth explained, "She's faster than me in the morning. You know, I'm stiff and it takes me awhile to get moving. She did the right thing."

Staring at Booth intently, Sweets replied, "You think she did the right thing or she thinks she did the right thing and you're just going along with it?"

Standing up abruptly, Booth walked across his office and closed the door. Walking back around his desk, Booth sat down heavily. "She had to learn to take care of herself and Christine while she was gone. She didn't need me or anyone else. She took care of everything on her own."

Shaking his head, Sweets responded, "She didn't take care of everything on her own. Her father was with her."

Staring at Sweets, Booth quietly remarked, "She told me that we aren't married and that we're both free agents and she did just fine on her own."

"You know she came to see me?"

Nodding his head, Booth answered, "Yeah, she told me. She said that you told her that she was upset with me because her happiness is contingent with my happiness. It's something I guess she really didn't want to think about. She'd been away from me for three months and while she was gone she didn't have to worry about me and whether I was happy or sad or just pissed about anything. Now she does and I guess it's hard on her. She got a taste of freedom and I think she thinks about it."

"What do you mean?"

Sighing, Booth replied, "We aren't married and to her we are free agents. What keeps us together is that we love each other; but, I think that sometimes she wishes that she wasn't living with me and that she was her old independent self again. I think she thinks being with me makes her weak."

"And that makes you angry?"

Shaking his head, Booth stared at the pen on his desk, "Nah, not really . . . Well kinda. You have to understand something though, she goes through these phases once in awhile. She's never going to be Carol Brady or June Cleaver and I don't want her to be. I love her independence. She doesn't take any bullshit from anyone including me and that's great. She can push and that's ok because I can push back. That's who we are . . . Still sometimes it kind of hurts to think that she isn't happy all of the time being with me."

"Is her thinking that you guys are free agents fine with you?"

"That may be what she said; but, we really aren't free agents and sometimes I have to push her to see it. Right now, she thinks she's Christine's primary protector or something like that; but, if I give her enough time to think about it she'll understand that we're both Christine's protector. I thought about it this morning and I've decided to let her do things her way for the time being. I'm still going to be there to try to protect her and Christine as much as I can; but, if me stepping back and letting her take on more of the load for awhile will help her see that she really isn't in it by herself and that she needs me then that's what I'll do. She wants to do everything; so, for the time being, I'm going to let her."

"It kind of sounds like you're defeated."

Laughing, Booth stared intently at Sweets, "Hell no. That may be what it looks like; but, that's not true. I want her to try to do it all until she sees that she doesn't have to. I want her to see that I'm there for her and I always will be; but, she needs to see it. Me telling her that isn't proving anything. She has to see it for herself. Bones needs proof that she isn't weak staying with me and I aim to prove that. I want her to see that counting on me makes her stronger; but, she has to discover that herself."

"By letting her do everything?"

Nodding his head, Booth smiled, "Yep. When she gets tired of being Miss Independent she'll finally get what I've been trying to tell her. We're partners and we can depend on each other to help each other. It's our partnership that makes us strong. When we're not together that's when we're weak. It may not be how you'd do it; but, we have to do things our way. She has to see me. She has to see that I'm part of her and she's part of me. We can't go back to living alone. She just needs time to see it and I'm going to give her that time."

"By letting her be independent?"

A little exasperated at Sweets seeming denseness, Booth replied, "I'll be there to offer my help whenever she needs it. I'm not going anywhere. It will be up to her to let me though. Sooner or later she'll see that we're a team and we function best as partners."

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So do what do you think of Booth's plan?

A/N: I had problems with this chapter and rewrote it four times. I hope Booth makes sense.


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you to all you who have sent me reviews and follows. I really appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

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That evening, Booth walked into the house to find Brennan sitting on the couch. She was staring at the darkened television when Booth entered the house. Puzzled, Booth walked over to the couch and sat down next to Brennan.

Putting his right arm around her shoulders, Booth leaned over and kissed Brennan on the cheek.

Turning to look at Booth, Brennan frowned, "Booth, are you angry with me about this morning? About me being the one to run upstairs to retrieve Christine?"

Sighing, Booth replied, "Nope, I told you I'm not mad about that. You did what you thought had to be done and you did it. Don't keep worrying about that. It's done."

"Angela thinks you may be lying to me to protect my feelings."

Rolling his eyes, Booth remarked, "Let Angela worry about Hodgins and not me. I'm not lying to you about anything."

Concerned, Brennan looked intently into Booth's eyes, "I don't believe you're old Booth. I told you that. I know you have some physical problems in the morning; but, that has nothing to do with age and everything to do with Iraq and your job with the FBI."

Sighing, Booth removed his arm from around Brennan's shoulders, "Bones, I get it. I agree with you that I'm not in the best shape that I could be. Iraq screwed up my feet and my back and being blown up by a refrigerator didn't help. It's ok. I'm not mad about this morning . . . well, that's not really true. I am mad that we found a bomb in the house and I'm really mad that there were two hidden cameras in our house. If I could get my hands on Pelant I'd show him just how mad I am."

"So you didn't come home late because you're angry with me?"

Smiling, Booth put his arm around Brennan's shoulders again and pulled her close to him, "I'm late because I had reports to finish. Hacker has been on the warpath about them for two days. I decided to finish them and get him off of my back."

Nodding her head, Brennan leaned towards Booth and kissed him.

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The next morning, Booth awoke before Brennan. As quietly as possible, Booth got out of bed and retrieved the clothes he would need for the day. After a quick shower, Booth dressed and walked downstairs. Sitting down with a bowl of cereal, Booth read the newspaper.

Finishing the sports page, Booth noticed Brennan enter the room with Christine."Good morning, sleepy head."

Walking over to the kitchen island, Brennan frowned and asked, "You're eating cereal this morning?"

Holding his hands out for Christine, Booth pulled his daughter into his arms and kissed her. Glancing at Brennan, Booth replied, "Yeah, well, you're always telling me that cereal is good for me."

Smirking, Brennan responded, "Not Captain Crunch, Booth."

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth remarked, "I can't eat those twig cereals you eat Bones. I don't want to eat trees for breakfast."

Frowning, Brennan protested, "The cereals I eat do not contain tree byproducts, Booth, they contain . . ."

Seeing Booth laughing, Brennan stopped and smiled, "You're teasing me."

Standing up, Booth handed Christine back to Brennan. Picking up his bowl, Booth carried it to the dishwasher and placed it inside. Turning to Brennan, Booth smiled, "Got to go Bones. I have to meet Marcus Geier at the tech lab in thirty minutes. He told me that he'd go over what he found in the house with me."

"You will call me and let me know what he tells you?"

Walking over to where Brennan was standing, Booth leaned over and kissed Christine and then Brennan. Placing his right hand on the side of Brennan's face, Booth smiled, "Of course I will. I'll see you this evening."

Turning Booth grabbed his jacket off of the back of his chair and started for the door. Brennan puzzled about Booth's behavior, called out, "You won't be eating lunch with me today?"

Glancing towards Brennan, Booth shook his head, "Can't. I have a mountain of paper work for Cullen to do. He's a bad as Hacker when it comes to my reports. If we have a case then I'll see you; but, if we don't then I won't see you until tonight. Love you."

Turning, Booth opened the front door and left.

Brennan watching Booth leave hugged Christine tightly and kissed her.

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Sitting in her office, Brennan stared at a vase of flowers sitting on her desk.

Angela, hearing that flowers had been delivered to Brennan walked in to her office and smiled. "Ooh, daffodils. They're very pretty."

Looking up at Angela Brennan responded, "They're from Booth."

Walking over and leaning down, Angela took a deep breath, "I love flowers. They can make a room smell so fresh. So, what's the special occasion?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Brennan answered, "I don't know. The card just said I love you."

Clasping her hands under her chin, Angela smiled, "Aw that is so sweet."

"He says he isn't angry with me."

Shrugging her shoulders, Angela leaned over and smelled the flowers again, "Well, if he sent you flowers then maybe he isn't."

Staring at the flowers, Brennan remarked, "He may not be angry with me; but, something seems to be wrong. Booth isn't behaving in his normal manner."

Staring at Brennan, Angela replied, "Give it time Sweety. Maybe he just has a lot on his mind. I'm sure that bomb in the house scared him more than he'd like to admit."

Sighing, Brennan looked down at her hands, "Perhaps. Booth doesn't like to show that he is afraid of anything. He's supposed to talk to Marcus this morning about the bomb and the cameras the techs found at the house. Booth is going to let me know what Marcus said."

Smiling, Angela stared at Brennan's downturned head, "There you see. That's what's on his mind. You'll see. Everything will be ok."

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So, what do you think? Reviews would be appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks to all who have reviewed this story. I really appreciate them all.

I don't own Bones.

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After his meeting with Marcus, Booth went back to his office to call Brennan.

"Brennan."

"Hey, Bones. I just finished talking to Marcus. The whole thing is weird. Marcus said that the bomb was a real bomb; but and this is a big but, the wire that was supposed to be hooked up to the phone wasn't wired completely. There was no way that bomb could be set off with the phone inside the clock."

"So Pelant made a mistake?"

Shaking his head, Booth replied, "I don't think so. Pelant is too smart to make a mistake like that."

"I don't understand. Why would he build a bomb and put it in our bedroom and not have any intention of setting it off."

Staring at desktop, Booth replied, "I think he was counting on us finding that bomb sooner or later. Maybe he'd planned to call in an anonymous tip or something; but, I think the guy was or is planning a game of psychological warfare against us. He wants us to be afraid of him."

"But why? Why not just kill us?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth tapped his fingers against his desk, "Maybe he knows that killing us isn't really going to accomplish whatever the hell he wants. I mean if we're dead there are still plenty of FBI agents around to go after him. Your squints are pretty damn smart and they may not be you; but, combined, I'm pretty sure that they could make Pelant's life miserable. Not to mention Hodgins and Angela would turn over every rock to find him if he ever hurt or killed you. He knows who his enemies are right now, killing us would introduce new actors into his game and I don't think he wants to risk that. . . . He thinks he knows us and what makes us tick and that has to help him feel like he's in control. He's sure he knows what buttons to push and I think he wants to use that knowledge to shake us up and make us nervous . . . Play with our minds. He wants to have power over us."

"What about the cameras?"

Clenching his left hand, Booth replied, "They were real. I guess he wanted to keep track of us and then when you left he had a way to at least keep track of when I was home or not. When you came back home he could keep track of both of us. I'm not sure why unless it's part of whatever weird plan he has. I'm not sure why he had the camera in Christine's room. . . I can tell you one thing, if that bastard makes it back into this country his plan had better not include Christine. If I find out that he's after her, I'll tear his heart out and not just beat the shit out of him the next time I see him."

"I don't understand why terrorizing us would give him power."

Sighing, Booth replied, "He hates the government, he hates the FBI and he's afraid of you and the fact that you're smart enough to wreck whatever plans he still has. If he can keep us looking over our shoulders then it may slow us down enough to allow him to do whatever he plans to do next. . . . Right now, we don't even know if he's back in the country yet. We'll have to wait for him to make a move."

Pausing, Booth bit his bottom lip, "Look Bones, when I get home tonight, I want to talk to you. This mess with Pelant kind of changes things and we really need to talk."

Nodding her head, Brennan responded, "Alright."

Booth staring at his clenched fist, relaxed it. "I love you Bones. I'll see you tonight."

"I love you too Booth."

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Sitting in her office, Brennan thought about the last few months. Out of fear, she had run away from a man determined to kill her. The fact that Pelant had elaborately set her up for murder so that she could be put in a dangerous environment beyond the help of Booth or her friends had frightened her. She had always prided herself on her independence; so, when Pelant had forced her to run to keep from playing his game she had been proud that she had been able to take care of herself. Now, she was starting to resent that Pelant had manipulated her to force her to have to do that.

While she had been pregnant, Brennan had slowly realized that her idea of partners had changed. She had found that she loved to be able to rely on Booth for help when she needed it and being on the run, away from Booth had forced her to forgo his help, his partnership.

It was true that she had told Booth in a fit of anger that they were free agents; but the fact was, she no longer considered herself a free agent. Not in the strictest interpretation of that phrase. Booth was her partner at work and in her life. Even though she was capable of taking care of herself and her daughter, Brennan realized that she really didn't want to have to do that. If she was really truly honest with herself, then she had to admit that she loved Booth and valued his life more than her own. She would die for him. If that was really the case, then she could also let him do what he did best. He was her partner. She wanted him to be her partner.

The axiom, united we stand and divided we fall applied to her and to Booth. Together they made a strong team capable of defeating evil such as Pelant or the Gravedigger or Howard Epps. Divided they were weak and outside forces were able to manipulate them. She could not or would not allow that to happen.

She knew that one of her and Booth's weaknesses was their poor communication with each other. She and Booth needed to talk. They needed to understand their roles in each other's life. Tonight, she would really talk to Booth.

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Poor communications skills with each other is one of their major problems. Reviews would be appreciated and helpful. Do you care for this story?


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks so much for the great reviews.

I don't own Bones. I wouldn't mind if they would let me borrow it for awhile.

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Booth had been fairly quiet when he'd arrived home. He'd kissed Brennan when he'd seen her; but, afterward, he'd said very little. Brennan, sensing his need to think, left him alone in his solitude. After they'd finished with dinner, Brennan had bathed Christine, read her a story and then placed her in her crib. Once her daughter had finally found sleep, Brennan had walked downstairs to talk to Booth.

Booth, sitting in a quiet living room, waited for Brennan to come to him.

Sitting on the couch next to Booth, Brennan noticed the tired look that Booth on Booth's face. "If you're too tired to talk we can wait until tomorrow."

Shaking his head, Booth licked his lips, "No, we've put this off too long as it is. I really think we need to talk Bones. . . I mean really talk. We've been dancing around our issues for too long as it is."

Nodding, Brennan crossed her arms across her chest, "Yes, you're right. . . I . . ."

Smiling, Booth placed his hand on her knee, "Yeah, I know. . ."

His smile leaving his face, Booth removed his hand from her knee, "Bones, I've told you a few times since you and Christine came back to me that I understood why you ran and I do. Pelant put you in a dangerous situation. If you'd been arrested for murder you probably would have been killed. You and I both know that it would have been difficult to protect you once you were locked away. . . I know why you left me behind too. I understand that you thought that you needed to protect me; but, Bones I didn't need that kind of protection. . . . I needed my family. I needed you and when you ran and left me behind . . . it almost broke me."

Staring at her hands, Brennan let the words Booth said wash over her, "Booth, the FBI means so much to you. You may not agree with me; but, the FBI is part of who you are. . . . If you had come with us, if I had allowed you to come with us, that would have been the end of your career. The FBI would never have taken you back and I couldn't let that happen."

Sighing, Booth clenched his hands, "Bones, I'm not a child. I didn't need or want you to make that kind of decision for me. Sure I love working for the FBI; but, I love you more than any job I might ever have. What if this had turned out to be a forever situation? What if the squints and you were never able to find something to counter what Pelant had done? Would you have left me forever? Would. . ."

Clearing his throat, Booth continued, "Bones, I love you and you just left me behind. . . I can't . . . Bones, if you ever run away from me again I don't think I'll survive it. I've been through this twice and I can't go through it again."

Feeling tears in her eyes, Brennan turned towards Booth and put her arms around his chest, "Booth, I never meant to hurt you. I didn't run away from you. I ran away from Pelant and I didn't take you with me to protect you and not just from the FBI. I needed to protect you from Pelant. I was so afraid that if I took you away from the protection of the FBI that Pelant would think nothing of killing you. . . For some reason, you've become the focus of his hatred towards the FBI. . . Booth, did it ever occur to you to ask yourself why Pelant painted his message in blood on the statue of Abraham Lincoln?"

Slowing shaking his head, Booth replied, "No, I just figured that Lincoln was one of our more revered Presidents and the guy has no respect for our government or our leaders. What does that have to do with anything?"

"It wouldn't be hard to do a genealogy check on your background and find out that you're distantly related to John Wilkes Booth."

Frustrated, Booth jerked his shoulders, "Bones just tell me what you're trying to say because I don't get where you're going."

Nodding her head, Brennan looked up and stared intently at Booth, "Pelant likes to send us messages. His use of symbols and codes are almost pathological. What if the message he had written on the statue was not only a taunt to make us search for Inger Johannson? What if it was also a message to you? John Wilkes Booth killed Abraham Lincoln. What if he was saying that he intended to kill you?"

Suddenly still, Booth studied his hands, "Why haven't you told me about this before now?"

Pulling away from Booth, Brennan replied, "I know you hate that you are related to John Wilkes Booth and I don't have proof that the message on the statue had more than one meaning. It's something that came to me after he tricked you into breaking into his house and incited you in to beating him up. The thought occurred to me that he might have been trying to permanently separate you from the FBI so he could murder you. Once I realized that this might be one of his goals, I couldn't let you do anything that would remove you from the shield of protection that belonging to the FBI gives you. As much as he hates the FBI; so far, he hasn't murdered anyone actually attached to the FBI. I was afraid that if the FBI no longer considered you one of theirs that Pelant would consider you as his next target. . . . Booth, I couldn't bear the thought of Pelant killing you. . . I had to protect you. Now do you understand? . . . I ran away from Pelant and left you behind to keep you safe. Like you, I don't think I could continue if you were taken from me. I need you Booth. I had to protect you."

Swallowing, Booth reached his hand over once more and placed it on Brennan's knee, "Bones, I don't know what to say. . . I uh . . . Look, ok, I see what you were afraid of and . . . Bones, I need you to promise me that you'll never run away again without me. No matter your reasons, no matter how much you think you're doing something to protect me . . . please don't leave me behind. I meant it when I told you that I don't think I could survive it again. I love you and I want to be where ever you are, where you and the baby are. I can't live without you anymore and I don't want to. . . . So, I'm asking you, please . . . never leave me behind again."

Throwing her arms around, Booth, Brennan started to cry, "I promise Booth. I will never leave you again. I didn't do it to hurt you and I . . . I promise Booth. You will always be with me and I will always be with you. I couldn't leave you behind again anyways. I just don't think I could ever do that again. I need you in my life. I love you and I don't want to live without you."

Placing his arms around Brennan, Booth leaned against her, "Don't cry, Bones. I didn't mean to make you cry. . . Shhhh . . . Please Temperance, don't cry. It's going to be ok. . . . "

"Booth, I'm sorry I told you I'm a free agent. I don't really believe that. I didn't believe it when I said it. I am not a free agent. I am your partner and your mate and I need you in my life. I don't want to be alone again. Not ever again."

"I know Bones. . . . I know, don't worry about it. I love you Babe. I love you and that's that. You're stuck with me until the day I die. I'm never leaving you and you're never leaving me."

"No, I'm never leaving you again. I love you and you're stuck with me too."

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What do think of my story? I wanted to present the conversation that they had to have but we didn't hear.


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